From social networking to space exploration, computers and the internet have changed the ways that we see the world. They are also ubiquitous in some aspects of health care. We take for granted innovations in medical imaging, for example, or the ability to quickly search millions of research articles for the latest clinical knowledge.

These changes affect individuals, as well as their health care providers. Although current events and celebrities dominated Yahoo’s top 10 list in 2010, Statistics Canada reports that more than half of home Internet users search for health information at some point during the year. That’s only the beginning of what is possible. Last fall, Canada Health Infoway asked Canadians about the types of e-innovations that they themselves would be most likely to use. Booking appointments online, renewing prescriptions, e-consultations with health care providers, and viewing personal health information such as lab test results topped the list. Experience from south of the border suggests that effective use of these types of innovations can improve outcomes and bring other benefits (e.g. this article from Kaiser Permanente).

How do you think that we could improve health and health care using information and communications technologies? Join the conversation at www.imaginenationchallenge.ca